I've been mistaken for other people most of my life. When I was
growing up, people would say that I looked just like somebody else and
then they'd compare the two of us. When they finally got us side by
side, I didn't look anything like them.
As an adult, I changed my facial hair every couple of years. As a
result, I got a lot of comments from people saying that I looked just
like so-and-so or you look just like this guy I knew in high school or
didn't I see you up in New York City or whatever.
I never got to see those people so I don't know how much I looked like
them, but I got that a lot. One funny time when I was in an executive
role at our regional office where I worked, these union thugs were in
the lobby all having an impromptu meeting when I walked in going to
work. At the time, I had on a goatee and glasses. One of them broke
away from the crowd and came and shook my hand and said, hey, I hadn't
seen you since so-and-so and isn't it great, you know, so-and-so did
this and Moe did that and he was talking about New York union thugs
and I just smiled and laughed and shook his hand and said, yeah, it is
and then I kept walking.
He mistook me for some New York City union thug, which was hilarious.
At work, I would get that comment of, well, you look just like
so-and-so. Or better, the older guys would say, you remind me of
so-and-so from 20 years ago.
Nowadays, I'm mistaken for other people in my life. Direct and
indirect family, it's almost as if I'm considered one of them or even
that person which can be detrimental to the unity in our family. My
mother acts like I'm a lot like my grandfather who she did not like
very much.
She even when I was growing up said that genetics must be real because
I walk swinging my right foot just like my grandfather did. That being
said she really doesn't share much with me and is acting as if I'm
some sort of authority in her life that she has to rebel against.
That's led to some unfortunate things but that's life. I'm also
compared to one of my cousins that I've seen only a handful of times
in my life. He's pretty arrogant and so that comparison kind of
bothers me.
And I believe that I'm actually thought of to be like a useless
brother and a useless father of one of my family members. That
comparison and connection has led to division and separation which is
sad.
Recently, I've been learning to accept people as they are, to not have
the expectations and not look for comparisons, but to accept and smile
and love them. And that's what I'm endeavoring to do, even if they
think that I'm somebody else.
